We use cookies to help provide the best experience on our website. We do this by tracking how the website is used and when appropriate remembering your preferences. If you continue, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Spire Healthcare website.

Other treatments

Professional profile

I have been a consultant gastroenterologist for over 11 years. I am currently a consultant endoscopist and endoscopy lead at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and clinical director of bowel cancer screening in Liverpool and Wirral. Which is one of the most prestigious departments for gastroenterology in the UK, and 1 of only 3 national endoscopy training centres in the UK. I have a tertiary referral practice as a therapeutic endoscopist and bowel cancer screening colonoscopist. My skills include upper GI advanced therapeutics, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), ERCP and advanced colonoscopy including level 4 polypectomy/EMR and colonic stenting. I am one of the few endoscopists that can perform confocal microlaser endoscopy in the UK.

Teaching and training is very high on my agenda as a faculty member of the Mersey School of Endoscopy and the deputy programme director for gastroenterology training in Merseyside and Cheshire. I am an accredited mentor for new consultants within the trust with the mentorship IML level 3 certification. I have been endoscopy lead in two of the busiest endoscopy units in the UK, initially at Aintree hospital (I perform over 18,000 procedures per annum) for 5 years and now at the Royal Liverpool Hospital (I perform over 15,000 procedures per annum) in the last 6 years. During this time I have embraced developing services and new ways of working including developing direct to test with PCTs (direct access flexible sigmoidoscopy), one stop endoscopic diagnosis/intervention for bile duct stones (EUS/ERCP combined lists), use of entonox as alternative analgesia for lower GI investigations, three session and weekend endoscopy working without waiting list initiatives, endoscopist of the day, regional colonic endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) service, pre-printed consent forms, revamping in-patient endoscopy services, electronic endoscopy referral and vetting system and nurse practitioner led colonoscopy surveillance service to name but a few. I am also the clinical director of Liverpool and Wirral bowel cancer screening centre and responsible for delivering colonoscopy and bowel scope screening for catchment population of over 800,000.

I am a core member gastroenterologist of the regional upper GI cancer MDT. I run a specialist clinic in upper GI disease and motility disorders including unresponsive dyspepsia, noncardiac chest pain and oesophageal motility disorders. I ran a specialist liver clinic whilst at Aintree Hospital and am an experienced endoscopist in managing complex hepatobiliary pancreatic cases with ERCP and EUS. I also set up the first multidisplinary IBD clinic at Aintree. I am one of only 10 Lead JAG assessors appointed by the RCP in April 2014. This is to lead a team of assessors on CQC standard inspection endoscopy units within the UK that seek JAG accreditation.

I have a strong research background with PhD and BSc in physiology and pain mechanisms. I've published over 40 peer reviewed papers and over 100 abstracts at scientific meetings. Endoscopy quality, safety, good patient outcomes and experience has always been a focus in my work. I have guided two endoscopy units from different trusts through successful A* JAG visits (2005 with Aintree and 2010 with Royal Liverpool) for accreditation of the endoscopy unit for training and service. This included raising standards in the global rating scale from bottom to the top scores in patient experience, patient outcomes, patient access, workforce planning, training and timeliness. In addition, I have published extensively in service re-design, development, patient experience and outcomes.

I have experience of how other endoscopy units function, by visiting numerous endoscopy units worldwide either as a JAG assessor or by invitation. This knowledge has served crucial when working with our development team in designing two endoscopy units for our new hospital. I always strive to pioneer new developments in endoscopy, including new techniques such as confocal laser microendoscopy. I am extremely organised (and still in charge of the consultant rota), enthusiastic and focused in whatever I engage in. I believe that it is important to lead by example, work hard, learn from others, share practice and embrace team work.

I specialise in endoscopy, both diagnostic and therapeutic. This includes gastroscopy, colonoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound and ERCP. I am an accredited bowel cancer screening colonoscopists. I also have a large tertiary practice for endoscopy and upper GI disease. I perform over 1000 specialist endoscopic procedures per year. I have a large tertiary practice for complex and therapeutic endoscopy. My performance indicators in one of the best in the UK.

I'm director of endoscopy at the Royal Liverpool and clinical director of Liverpool and Wirral bowel screening. I'm the deputy programme director for gastroenterology training in Mersey deanery for junior doctors (specialist registrars). I am a senior lecturer at Liverpool University. I am a national endoscopy trainer as a faculty member of the Mersey school of endoscopy (which is 1 of 3 national training centres in the UK).

Current NHS posts

Personal Profile

I currently reside in Macclesfield with my wife who is a clinical services manager in medicine at our local hospital, and my young son. My hobbies include entertaining my family, wining and dining and sports such as squash, jogging and cycling.